When Joshua Wong went to a Hong Kong court to face charges for alleged subversive acts in 2020, he wore a T-shirt with the words, “THEY CAN’T KILL US ALL.” The democracy advocate is still alive, but will spend a total of four-plus years in prison, including time already served, for being part of what Hong Kong authorities describe as an illegal attempt to paralyze the government. His sentencing alongside Benny Tai, who got 10 years (the longest-ever under a China-imposed security law) comes as the city hosts a summit with financial leaders aimed at bolstering its status as a global finance hub. Their punishment, along with dozens of others, is a “clear signal to both domestic and international audiences that the authorities prioritize national security prominently and would enforce their laws accordingly,” said Lim Tai Wei, a professor at Soka University in Tokyo.
Māori warriors in traditional dress marched with more than 40,000 people in Wellington, New Zealand, to oppose a draft law that they say would erode the rights of indigenous people. The hīkoi (march) began last week and culminated in the capital, where they sang and waved flags. The protesters are angry about a piece of legislation put forward by the libertarian ACT Party, a junior government coalition member, that seeks to define the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, the 1840 agreement between Māori chiefs and the British Crown that is considered the nation’s founding document.